Writing Problem: The Female Part Is Underwritten
Problem: The Female Part Is Underwritten
Solution: Frame and establish female characters who are their own and who can hold their own. Obviously, character-building must be done with care, but the emphasis on writing female characters well is not misplaced. Authors in the majority of those published often get away with female characters that are relegated to the role of the conveniently unprotected, the buddy, the substitute wife/girlfriend, the pawn/sacrifice, the hot chick, and/or the stoic action lady who can do anything because that makes her cool.
Write female characters with their own intelligences, experiences, shortcomings, and successes. These characters must come into their own organically, and they must engage the narrative (and readers) in a way that demonstrates their value without siphoning their agency.
Writing Resources:
Make Them Female (Horrible God)
The Importance of The Unlikable Heroine (Claire Legrand; ahbwrites)
100 Character Development Questions to Inspire Deeper Arcs (Now Novel)
We Need to Talk About Cold Women (HuffPost)
Writing a "Strong Female Character" That Isn't Heartless (Writing Questions Answered)
Strength is Relative: Female Characters, Gender Stereotypes, and Writer Authority (ahbwrites)
The Heroines of YA Dystopias Have All These Traits in Common (Refinery29; ahbwrites)
Female Characters to Avoid in Your Writing: An Illustrated Guide (The Caffeine Book Warrior; ahbwrites)
On Mary Sue (How to Fight Write; ahbwrites)
Core Principles of Crafting Protagonists (September C. Fawkes)
4 Ways to Unlock Your Character's Unique Voice (The Novel Smithy)
❯ ❯ Adapted from the writing masterpost series: 19 Things That Are Wrong With Your Novel (and How to Fix Them)
